MANILA, Philippines — The legal armor surrounding former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has grown significantly stronger as his case gears up for full trial. The International Criminal Court (ICC) Registry officially notified Trial Chamber III that veteran Australian defense lawyer and international criminal law expert Kate Gibson has been appointed as associate counsel for Duterte’s defense team.
The high-profile designation was submitted to the court in an administrative document dated May 18, 2026, marking a heavy strategic recruitment by the former leader’s newly structured legal camp.
Gibson was handpicked to join the team by British barrister Peter Haynes, who recently took over as Duterte’s lead defense counsel following the formal withdrawal of his previous lawyer, Nicholas Kaufman, earlier this month.
[ Former Lead Counsel ] ──► Handed Over Leadership (May 2026)
Nicholas Kaufman (Withdrew)
[ New Lead Defense Counsel ] ──► Recruited Veteran Associate Counsel
Peter Haynes (British Barrister)
[ Newly Appointed Associate ] ──► International Criminal Law Expert
Kate Gibson (Australian Lawyer)
The ICC Registry confirmed that Gibson immediately accepted the position offered by Haynes, formally declaring that she faces zero structural barriers or conflicts of interest under the ICC’s strict Code of Professional Conduct.
Gibson brings a formidable background in international humanitarian law to the table, having consistently defended heads of state, military commanders, and political leaders at various international tribunals since 2005.
- The Bemba Precedent: Most notably, Gibson and Haynes spent a decade working together co-defending former Congolese Vice President Jean-Pierre Bemba. They successfully secured a landmark acquittal for Bemba before the ICC Appeals Chamber in 2018, completely overturning his 2016 Trial Chamber conviction for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
- Wider Tribunal Experience: Based out of the UK-based Doughty Street Chambers where she serves as an associate, Gibson’s professional portfolio includes defense roles in the high-stakes case of Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony, as well as academic tenures teaching advanced international criminal procedure. She holds a master’s degree in law from Cambridge University.
The upgrade to Duterte’s legal team arrives during a highly volatile phase of the international proceedings. The 81-year-old former president has been held at the ICC’s detention facility in The Hague since March 11, 2025, following a coordinated arrest executed by the Philippine National Police and Interpol.
The case reached a definitive point on April 23, 2026, when Pre-Trial Chamber I unanimously confirmed all charges of crimes against humanity linked to extrajudicial killings in his controversial “war on drugs” campaign—both during his tenure as mayor of Davao City and throughout his presidency (2016–2022).
With ICC prosecutors actively pushing for the formal trial proceedings to officially commence on November 30, 2026, the tandem of Haynes and Gibson will be tasked with chipping away at the prosecution’s massive mountain of evidence, which heavily relies on insider testimonies, state documents, and transcripts of Duterte’s own public speeches.